Photopheresis – a short overview

The treatment of photopheresis (also known as extracorporeal photopheresis or ECP) is a therapy where the patient’s white blood cells (buffy coat) are collected by an apheresis system, treated with a photosensitizer / photoactivator and subsequently being irradiated with UVA light in the therapy system.

White blood cells

The procedure itself has been developed by Dr. Richard Edelson in 1987 and was introduced to the medical experts in the New England Journal of Medicine¹. The first medical equipment for photopheresis was commerically introduced by Therakos Inc.
Med Tech Solutions GmbH developed an own 2-Step-System for ECP in 2004.
Nowadays photopheresis is frequently used to treat different auto immune diseases, mainly GvHD, CTLC and SOT.

More information can be found on our homepage in the category „The Treatment“.